How Do Your Sleep Habits Stack Up?

By Fitbit Staff

Recently, Fitbit research scientists looked at aggregated sleep data from over 10 million users in 2015* and noticed some eye-opening patterns. Take a look at their findings, and then check out your sleep log in the Fitbit app to see how your personal bedtime numbers compare.

Restless Sleep Revealed

Have you noticed a pattern of restlessness in your personal sleep log? You’re not alone—most sleepers have a number of short periods of awake time in the middle of the night. In fact, data shows Fitbit users are awake or restless on average for a total of 25.5 minutes each night. “Sleep is not completely still,” says Michael Grandner, PhD, MTR, a Fitbit sleep advisor and director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. “We all move during our sleep, especially in stages 1 and 2—and this is totally normal.”

The Gender Impact

When it comes to getting snooze time, the Fitbit data reveals women are clearly winning. On average, female Fitbit users sleep 25 minutes more per night than male Fitbit users. However, the difference changes with age. Women between the ages of 20 and 50, sleep 30 minutes more than men the same age; but by the time they’re 60 years old, women only enjoy 20 minutes more sleep per night than their male peers.

The Sleep-Weight Connection

The aggregated, anonymized sleep data shows Fitbit users who sleep 7 to 9 hours per night on average have a lower body mass index (BMI) compared to those who only sleep 3 to 4 hours (27.4 and 29.7 respectively). Additionally, the Fitbit data shows Fitbit users who have an overweight or obese BMI (greater than 25) log 70 fewer minutes of sleep per week on average, when compared to those with a normal BMI (18.5-25).

A possible reason for these differences: “Lack of sleep is stressful to the body,” says Michael Smith, PhD, Director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at Johns Hopkins University and an expert sleep consultant for Fitbit. “It can cause higher blood pressure and heart rate—and it can also alter metabolism, leading to spikes in blood sugar that can lead to insulin resistance and weight gain.”

The Effect of Active Minutes on Bedtime

Want to clock more Zzz? Getting more exercise and establishing an earlier bedtime could help!

Fitbit data scientists note a correlation between active minutes and hitting the sack early—Fitbit users with the most tracked active minutes also seem to have a more consistent, and earlier, bedtime. The same group of Fitbit users logging the most sleep tends to hit the sack at 11:07pm on average, while those who don’t get as much shut-eye aren’t winding down until 11:55pm on average.

Having a consistent bedtime is important for your overall health and wellbeing, because it can set you up to get the right amount of sleep for you. “The body loves regularity,” says Grandner. “When you have a regular bedtime, your sleep biology can train itself around that time—your body knows when sleep is coming, so it can optimally prepare.”

The Age Breakdown

Fitbit data shows active millennials typically go to bed earlier. But a subset of that generation is actually logging the least amount of sleep. Why? The college-aged set might be prioritizing other activities over sleep. Maybe it’s a bit too much studying and partying for those co-eds—they aren’t hitting the sack until 12:22am on average, bringing the total amount of time spent snoozing down by sleeping 91 minutes less per week on average.

Meanwhile, Gen Xers who are more active get more sleep than their less active peers, and active Baby Boomers seem to be snoozing like babies! Take a look at some more cool, age-related sleep findings in the infograms below.

*This research is based on aggregated and anonymous data from over 10 million users in 2015. Sleep duration is based on time asleep and does not include restless or awake time. Generations are defined as: Baby Boomers (age 55 and up), Generation X (age 35-55) and Millennials (age 18-35), as of May 1, 2016. A Fitbit tracker recognizes and awards active minutes when the activity you’re doing is more strenuous than regular walking, which includes everything from a brisk walk to a cardio workout or run. Active minutes are awarded after 10 minutes of continuous moderate-to-intense activity and for the purposes of this analysis were averaged across users.

This article is not intended to substitute for informed medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.

I have had carpel tunnel surgeries on both hands to attempt to fix the issue and stop the excruciating pain but it didn’t work because it has since turned out not to be carpel tunnel syndrome but is trapped nerves in neck due to cervical spondolosis. I wore my Fitbit throughout all of my surgeries.

I do too and since having a Fitbit that tracks sleep(along with several other things) I find that I’m much more mindful of my habits that contribute to my over all health. Incidentally I have found that I get much better sleep when out boxer and village nit doesn’t share the bed with us! Lol

The algorithm for measuring sleep is not accurate. I’m a very restless sleeper at night and take naps during the day. If I wake up to drink water or rearrange blankets at night, often sleep time after that event is missed. Daytime dozing is missed completely unless it is a substantial amount of time, i.e. greater than one hour. One night this week the tracker measured no sleep at all, which was close to the truth because I was waking up hundreds of times gasping from sleep apnea and a sore throat all through the night. if I put the Fitbit setting on “sensitive”, it’s way too sensitive. I wish they would tweak the algorithm for those of us with sleep apnea, because it’s not picking up short bursts of sleep.

I have apnea and according to the Fitbit am very restless. It calculates my sleep at about four hours a night. If that were true I wouldn’t be functioning. I read recently that you can move during deep sleep. Is that what’s happening?

That’s my issue too. Admittedly I am often tired & my Fitbit shows that I am incredibly restless during the night, averaging about 4.5 hours per night but I’d like to know the quality of my sleep when im restless, if that makes sense! Find it a bit confusing tbh.

I have sleep apnea and wear a bipap. Have for 3 years. I am a very restless sleeper and my Fitbit doesn’t register sleep correctly. Says I am restless 20 to 30 minutes per night but doesn’t register awake times. 5 to 10 times that I can count. Also says I’m asleep when I’m not. Always has me falling right to sleep when I’m awake for hours sometime. Needs tweaking.

I find the tracker to be very relatable. It doesn’t pick up short naps because it won’t pick up restless sleep at all. If you’re not sleeping restfully, you’re not sleeping well. It doesn’t count towards overall sleep. Don’t keep it on the sensitive setting! That setting doesn’t record any sleep.

Reading a few of these, I started to worry a little. I have worn my Fitbit continuously for over a year and consistently sleep between 2hrs 50min to 3 hrs 10min. I don’t seem to have slept more than 4 hours in any evening. I’ve never needed much sleep and work long hours. I run and exercise regularly and have a Bmi if 22. I will take advice from the forum and consult a doctor.

I hope Fitbit continues to study this data & give us helpful advice on improving our sleep. I work hard on maximizing my sleep but I still only get 4 to 5 hours of restful sleep each night. I’m a 57 yr old male. I am recently retired & have a BMI of 34. Sounds like I need to get my BMI back below 25 to improve my sleep.

I’m with you, John. The reason I got my Fitbit Alta was to track my sleep. I, too, only get about 4+ hours of good sleep per night. It was much better when I first got the Alta. Although I need to get my BMI down if there truly is a connection

I have noticed greatly reduced restless leg at night when I cut down (quite a bit) my carbohydrate intake. Had to change my eating habits and missed that morning toast, but now it is second nature to reach for something else instead of a carb-filled snack.

Restless or twitchy legs can be caused by lack of magnesium among other things. Try a good quality one like Bioceuticals ‘Muscle Ease’. I call it my ‘anti twitch medication’ Because if I’m low on magnesium my legs twitch at night too. For me it always works a treat! Also try to eat more food with rich magnesium content such as spinach, pumpkin seeds, natural yoghurt, natural almonds, avocado, banana and figs are all great.

Lol I agree with what you said…I say woodstock and they have a blank stare. God forbid, if I say Phone book or library. Tho to be honest, when I was younger I didnt listen to older peoples experiences…my biggest regret not asking my parents more abt what it was like during the depression or wartime…re: sleep, always a nightowl and cant change it.

I believe they’ve been called The Greatest Generation.” In my experience with “my elders,” they are indeed. A wealth of experience and wisdom will be sorely missed in years to come – but not yet. Not yet.

Agreed…I’m a 60 yr old female and found those icons for Boomers offensive…many of us take very good care of our health w good nutrition and exercise…this care, with a little help from genetics, is reflected in appearance and well-being inside and out. Love my Fitbit and it motivates me to reflect my spirit which never ages.

I am a Baby a boomer who is getting more sleep because I am more active and have lost 45 pounds. I no longer suffer from sleep apnea issues which interrupted sound sleep with numerous restless and awake moments.

You should talk to your doctor – odds are you still need the CPAP. Also keep in mind that the FitBit isn’t 100% reliable on keeping track of sleep, but if you have over an hour of “restless minutes” something is likely off.

This is great to see the aggregate data and insights. My question is about the affect of ‘normal’ or ‘sensitive ‘ mode on this data. I’m showing an average of 6 hrs 3 min but my FitBit is set on sensitive mode – if I’m on normal mode, I’m showing much less restless time. Which mode is your aggregate data representing?

Your years for the generations are incorrect baby boomers are 1946-64 making the 55 & up assessment incorrect

Baby boomers are the demographic group born during the post–World War II baby boom, approximately between the years 1946 and 1964. This includes people who are between 53 and 71 years old in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau

I’m a nurse and I work day shifts and night shifts. This is why I get very little sleep sometimes and lots of sleep other times. I sleep good on my days off, but when I’m working overnights I only sleep 4-6 hours. I do get lots of exercise regularly though and my BMI is low. I just have a hard time napping during the day when I’m on nights.

I, too, am an RN who works 7p-7a. I am 65yr old female. I wish that my Fitbit charge 2 could be changed for those who work nights! Especially the steps done. I can alter the water intake but not the steps. Can anyone help me out? When I am not working, I still stay on night schedule, as my body is still on night shift.

I have DSPS& it’s as disruptive as the pain and cognition problems of my fibromyalgia. Until the onset of FMS I was able all my life to be asleep by 11 pm to 2 am, then sleep flipped forward 6 hours. Now I sleep from 6-8 am until
about 1-2 pm if allowed. Result, severe sleep dep, no social life, driving often unsafe & appts. near impossible to keep.

The retrospective review of the aggregate data is very impressive. I applaud the Fittbit effort. I am a Ph.D. Physiologist and, over the last 2 years of wearing Fittbit, have wondered if the work would be done. In saying that, I truly believe (with increased understanding of the data and improvements in accuracy) the Fittbit will lend itself well to prospective studies in health and medicine.

Your sleeping tracker does not work I am awake during the night on a regular basis and most of the time my Fitbit does not capture my time awake or shows I was awake for 10 minutes or so, when I was actually awake for a couple hours

My Fitbit is fine for tracking when I wake up, but can be up to two hours out from when I go to sleep. Have checked this with my old Garmin watch and it is correct. Does anyone else have this problem/ know how to fix?

I only sleep an average of 4 hours a night. I take melatonin. Usually it doesn’t do anything for me except help me get to sleep. I’m a healthy weight. I work out almost everyday. My diet is healthy. My boyfriend said I should check to see if I have sleep apnea. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

Rod, In what way could it hurt you to have your data lumped into 10,000,000 users data? I am glad they are studying this. I would love to hear more on other comparisons. It was all intended to help people become more aware of healthy habits. I thank them for this.

Rod, In what way could it hurt you to have your data lumped into 10,000,000 users data? I am glad they are studying this. I would love to hear more on other comparisons. It was all intended to help people become more aware of healthy habits. I thank them for this.

I’m happy that this data is analyzed and the results are shared with us. We care about the data otherwise we would not use Fitbits or other trackers. We use the data and subsequent analysis results to modify our own behavior/activity for our benefit. Pretty nice business model for all parties. So check the “fine print” and note that some Fitbit articles say something about disaggregating your data used for analysis from any personally identifying data.

I started using Fitbit January 3, 2016 in order to track my sleep. I still use it every night along with a C-PAP and an S+ made by ResMed. fit bits new program that now breaks up light sleep, rim sleep, deep sleep, and awake times, is very accurate and matches with my S+ by ResMed. I make sure I’m hitting my goals every day and night using my Fitbit. So thankful for what their research is doing and how fit bit helps me accomplish my goals. I’m 62 years old and right in the middle of those baby boomers.

All interesting information here.How about sleep information regarding workers who work nights and have to sleep during the day.eg,”A days sleep not a good as a night sleep? “.Maybe of interest the health and knock of affects of working nights.

Had to laugh when the Fitbit told me it had noticed I’m having less than usual sleep for population and referred me to this article. I’m a mum to a child who has seizures that get worse at night and are life threatening. He is also completely disabled so Im basically on call for him all day and night. I bought the fitbit to prove to the powers that be that my sleep has been between 4-5 a night for 12 years and I’m about to fall over. Although the Fitbit is not perfect yet I believe it’s a start. I hope in future it can be used to provide evidence for care to protect vulnerable people. Then I might finally get some sleep. Have to say that articles like this are pretty useless for special needs families whether millennials, Baby boomers or my Gen X.

I wonder if less sleep is the CAUSE of a higher BMI or less sleep is a RESULT of a higher BMI.
It always seems to be put in such a way that more sleep will lower BMI, but maybe as BMI lowers sleep will naturally increase.

I am one if the oldest Baby Boomers. I am active, weight and BMI ate normal. I have no evidence of sleep apnea. My Fitbit sleep data records much more restless sleep than i feel. I have taken Melatonin in the past, and very rarely take a low dose of prescripton medication. Neither of these change the restless/ restful ratio. Any suggestions?

Receive the fit bit update. The new sleep charts and graphs are great!! My question is when I woke up this morning of my sleeping charts and info was right back to the old more basic charts without REM etc like it was before update not sure why

I am 68 yrs old. I had my Fitbit on 1st of Feb when for 2 weeks I was averaging 8 hours sleep per night, since then I only average 5. I work part time at a job I love, am active, walk a lot got to the gym once a week. These statistics are great but how do I get more sleep? I weigh 9st 6lbs, I was 10st back in February.

What a crocus. I had sleep studies and psychological testing and I was told that everyone is different in the sleep they nerd. My body thrives on 3-4 hours deep a night and if I have more I wake up groggy and with a headache. Stop trying to lump everyone into Th same box!

How do I get my fit bit to track sleep properly? Last night it shows that I’ve slept one hour one minute. I average about seven hours it tracked properly for the first week or two I had it but lately it’s four hours or less.

My Fitbit is right in that I only get 3 to 4 hrs sleep at night. I would be happy with that if it was a straight 3 to 4 hours. But it is always broken up between 5 min, 20 min, etc. I’m always exhausted. The sleep doctor says I have an “Awake” brain. But offered no help.

I feel like I’m sleeping a lot more than my Fitbit says I do. I’ve had my Fitbit for almost three years now and for the first two years I had a machine inside me called an LVAD which basically performed the function that my heart couldn’t do. April 21st 2016 I received my heart transplant. So with a transplant they keep your heart rate elevated at least 100bpm and at resting it’s usually around mid 90’s. So because the Fitbit can’t differentiate between actual “sleep” and awake it gives me an improper sleep pattern. Is there any way to adjust this so I can get as close as possible to an average of my sleep pattern?

As a statistician who users big data analytics in my day to day research this is a tremendous data set and the results are fascinating. I would love to work with the Fitbit Data scientists closer on this type of research.

For the past week I have been making a conscious effort to increase my hours of sleeping. As a baby boomer, I was way out of my healthy range, averaging about 5 hours 30 minutes over many months. Now with more sleep, I simply feel better and am starting to shed pounds.

I’d like to see studies on rotation shift workers or people who work 12-16 hrs night shifts like medical staff and police officers. My insomnia has been getting worse from years of eradic sleep patterns due to my nursing career. It also doesn’t help that we have pets (dogs) that sleep with us in bed and she’s ft about and demand coming off and on the bed to do their business.

I go up to bed before my husband and switch my light off a little before he does. But I’m usually awake reading an hour before him; my weight is average, he’s overweight; I exercise, he doesn’t, so our profiles don’t match the research findings, interesting though they are. Yet I’m the one on medication for my BP!

I got the Fitbit scale too. But I am puzzled at the BMI number. I weigh 122, am 5.3 tall, age 60. My BMI says 30 ! I could probably be 118 or 119, but I am not fat. I workout 3-4 days a week either walk or treadmill and do Pilates. Why is my BMI so high? Is scale inaccurate?

Want to believe that Sensitive mode records Deep Sleep. I asked help desk but never got a reply. Can anyone confirm this?
After using a mouth brace against apnea, I am averaging just under two hours in Sens mode. Before the brace it was less than 20 minutes.

Fitbit is just the best! I suffer with really bad seizures, cervial spondolosis and can monitor them during the night via the sleep pattern recording element ; I usually sleep very still because of my exhaustion

The sleep information becomes inaccurate if for any reason you get up in the middle of your sleeping time. That break is counted as starting the day time. The time you return to bed and sleep is not counted. So I am getting readings of 2 to 3 hours per night when the sleep either side of the break is 6 to 7 hours. Why are those hours after the break not counted.

I would like for Fitbit to post data on average times in each sleep stage for the different population groups they have studied. Otherwise, I have nothing to compare my own data to — don’t know if it is abnormal or not. If so — how abnormal. Suspect mine is abnormal — have several sleep problems — severe circadian rhythm disorder. My sleep doctor at Johns Hopkins says that my normal sleep time should be between 4 AM and noon, based on how long it takes me to get into REM. Also, I have idiopathic nocturnal hypoventilation syndrome — AKA Ondine’s curse. My brain’s nocturnal CO2 receptor is out of wack and so I don’t breathe deeply enough when I sleep. Therefore, I need oxygen. No sleep apnea, so no CPAP. Just oxygen.

With regard to the article on length of sleep each night and it’s correlation to weight and other factors, I would take it with a grain of salt. Some people, like me, are short sleepers. I always have been, since I was born. I am now 48 years old, get an hour of exercise six days per week, weigh exactly what my doctor says that I should weigh, and sleep an average of about six hours per night. That’s normal for me. So don’t freak out if you sleep less than “average.” Some of us just don’t need much sleep.

What are the differences that having young children has to your sleep factor particularly the first year or two? It would be good see these factors added in… I currently sleep it appears a least 2 hours less a night because of this…

I recently underwent hip replacement surgery and was fascinated at my sleep patterns during my recovery. Two weeks after my surgery I am back to normal sleep pattern. I am 70 years young and walk one to two miles daily, but didn’t walk for two weeks post surgery. Yesterday was my first official one mile walk, and my sleep was better. So, everyone I recommend walking daily for better sleep. I also weigh 115 lbs. even though walking was difficult it did benefit my night time sleep. I highly recommend getting in a daily walk and move every hour. I walk up and down my stairs and now I no longer need my cane! Thanks FITBIT for your device. I love monitoring my movements and daily progress.

Military time is 24/7 alert & moreso at night. After20+ years in the Middle East with extreme temps & lifestyles that dine later – up to midnight, take big meals midday & light suppers & daytime naps – back in the USA & out of sync like night shift workers I average 8 hrs over 72 hrs. Fitbit just tells me I’m out of sync!

I would like to know if the sleep data used for these articles are based on the Fitbit setting that shows restlessness or the setting showing time gone to bed and wake up time? When I track the less sensitive setting it appears I’m getting plenty of sleep. When I have it on the more sensitive setting I average about 4 hours. Thank you!

According to my Fitbit I sleep at least 1.5 to 2 hours less than a person in my demographic. Which so I suppose to average 7 and quarter hours a night. According to their information I a millennial but as I’m close to cusps I’ve seen others where I a gen x or others where I’m a gen z.. anyway I also in the low bmi category but I would like to know the impact of motherhood especially those with babies on these statistics. Most nights I get about 4.5 hours with some as little a 2. I don’t appear to be a lone with this

I love the sleep pattern, especially the breakdowns. My only problem is the stair count. I get nothing going from 1st floor to 2nd, but get credit from the basement to main and stairs are the same count.

No matter what I do if I go to bed early or even late I still have a lot of restlessness. I go to the gym every morning and do a heavy weightlifting cardio yoga all that. And I still have restlessness. I am a female 67 years old. Do you have any ideas how I can change that. I do not eat after seven no water after 8 o’clock.

Hi.bob Simpson age 71 I manage to exercise 5/6 days and also exercise my lurched dog Fitbit is great I recently had a cardiac ablation which was successful I can monitor my heart rate and family challenges motivate me to

I would like to see FitBit provide some analysis on each of our activity and sleep patterns, and compare them to people of similar age and gender. It is very difficult for example to determine if my sleep patterns are “Normal” of if there is anything I should look into in more detail. Also, not clear to me if my activity level through out the day is good, bad, different. Same questions on Heart rate, both resting, through out the day, … compare to others, and “normal”. Let must be a wealth of data and analysis that could be done and provided to us loyal FitBit users.

I’m just turned 62, consume little alcohol (2 ozs wine most days), no smoking, somewhat overweight (17 pounds), active (speed walk 4 plus miles most days, (just ran my first Half Marathon), bike ride, and hike occasionally. And I go to bed most nights within an hour of my target time, 10, so long as I don’t consume caffeine later than noon.

I HAVE TROUBLE STAYING ALSEEP FOR A FULL NIGHT. 🙁

So I use melatonin which helps. Its an OTC product used in some nursing homes to help elderly sleep.

I also note that soaking for an hour in a hot tub also helps me if I do that just before bed.

I have DSPS& it’s as disruptive as the pain and cognition problems of my fibromyalgia. Until the onset of FMS I was able all my life to be asleep by 11 pm to 2 am, then sleep flipped forward 6 hours. Now I sleep from 6-8 am until
about 1-2 pm if allowed. Result, severe sleep dep, no social life, driving often unsafe & appts. near impossible to keep.

I am working aged 82, with plenty of energy and enthusiasm, and in good health. Fitbit tells me the average sleep is over 9 hours for my demographic. I am hard pressed to average more than 6.5 hours of sleep, and wake naturally before the alarm goes off.
So I question whether 9 hours of sleep as we age, is wise? Or does it make us old??

Life goes beyond 50. No advise whatsoever for 80 year olds many of whom own a fitbit.
Many elderly have interrupted nights due to toilet needs.Fitbit sleep recording is also getting less accurate .It used to record more than one hours sleep. This is now down to three hours. WHAT’S GOING ON??